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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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Better options than

Avenza Maps alternatives

Avenza Maps users are looking for alternatives due to recent changes that put custom map imports and other features behind a paywall, making the free version less useful for many. Users also cite issues with the user interface and coordinate entry. Alternatives offer different strengths, from general navigation to specific outdoor activities like hiking and overlanding.

Why users look for alternatives to Avenza Maps

The alternatives

Google Maps
4.7★ · 7,271,500 ratings · Free

Google Maps is a widely used navigation app that excels at finding businesses and providing directions, though recent updates have caused some search functionality issues for nearby locations R54R57. It is generally reliable for urban navigation and finding points of interest.

Better for: Google Maps is better for users who primarily need to navigate in urban or developed areas, find restaurants, gas stations, or other businesses, and get general directions R54R55. It is not ideal for detailed outdoor or backcountry navigation R59.

Head-to-head: Avenza Maps vs Google Maps
AllTrails
4.9★ · 1,032,646 ratings · Free

AllTrails is a popular app for discovering and navigating trails, offering guidance and a platform for researching outdoor activities R66R68. It helps users find new places and provides features to track trails and notify if they are off-trail .

Better for: AllTrails is better for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts looking to discover new trails, get guidance during their activities, and track their progress R66R68. However, some users report bugs with the map and ads R65R67.

Head-to-head: Avenza Maps vs AllTrails
MAPS.ME
4.7★ · 77,786 ratings · Free

MAPS.ME offers offline maps that are generally up-to-date and accurate, even including small details, making it useful for travel in various countries without an internet connection R82. It has been credited with helping users navigate challenging outdoor situations like blizzards R84.

Better for: MAPS.ME is better for international travelers and mountaineers who need reliable offline maps and navigation, especially in areas with no internet access R82R84. However, some users have reported issues with its search function and finding specific businesses, and some older map data R79R83.

Head-to-head: Avenza Maps vs MAPS.ME
Gaia GPS
4.8★ · 32,057 ratings · Free

Gaia GPS is a trusted navigation tool for outdoor exploration, particularly for overlanding and off-roading, offering accuracy and user-friendliness R94. It provides various map layers, including USGS Topo, and helps users navigate complex terrain with many intersections .

Better for: Gaia GPS is better for overlanders, off-roaders, and hikers who need a reliable and accurate navigation tool for backcountry and outdoor adventures R94. However, some users have experienced issues with app crashes, slow map downloads, and accuracy problems R93R95R96.

Head-to-head: Avenza Maps vs Gaia GPS
GPS Tracks
4.7★ · 17,325 ratings · Free

GPS Tracks is an excellent app for tracking progress during activities like biking and walking, and for field work and navigation R108R109R111. It is praised for its smooth tracking and user-friendly interface R111.

Better for: GPS Tracks is better for users who need to track their movement, oversee acreage, or conduct field work, valuing smooth tracking and ease of use R108R109R111. Some users find the interface unintuitive and report issues with NOAA charts and recent OS updates R110.

Head-to-head: Avenza Maps vs GPS Tracks
Stick with Avenza Maps if

You should stick with Avenza Maps if you are a professional user who relies on its ability to easily upload and follow .pdf maps with a blue dot, appreciate its accuracy for specific uses like river navigation or finding historic sites, and are willing to pay for a subscription .

Evidence note: No alternative had too few reviews to judge.

Frequently asked

Why are Avenza Maps users upset about recent changes?
Avenza Maps users are upset because recent changes have moved core features, such as the ability to import custom PDF maps, behind a paid subscription, making the free version significantly less functional than it used to be R1R3R6R9.
Is Avenza Maps still free to use?
While Avenza Maps is free to download, the free version now offers very limited functionality, primarily only allowing access to the OSM map and a blue dot for location, with custom map imports requiring a paid subscription R1R9R13R19.
What are the common complaints about Avenza Maps' pricing?
Common complaints about Avenza Maps' pricing include the high cost of the yearly subscription, which can be around $34 a year for occasional users or $165 for Pro features, and the feeling of a 'bait and switch' after years of free access to features now behind a paywall R9R15R19R22.
Does Avenza Maps have issues with its user interface?
Yes, some users find Avenza Maps to have a terrible and unnecessarily complicated user interface, making it difficult to perform tasks like making field notes and edits, especially in less than ideal environmental conditions R10R27.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R1] Avenza Maps 1/5 · US Useless: As a long-term casual user, I am very disappointed with the pricing plan change. I have happily used the app for many years for cross country backpacking. I like to know where I am. Now, as a “free” user, the only map I can access is the OSM. This map is absolutely useless. I cannot see the details of this map. As suck I am unable to navigate with it.
  2. [R3] Avenza Maps 3/5 · US Updated map limits: This app has been great for so long, but the recent changes to custom map import limits is making me look for alternative apps.
  3. [R6] Avenza Maps 3/5 · US Used to be better: As a wildland fire safety officer, I used to be able to download custom maps with the free version. Now, I can’t so I’m forced to purchase a plan. The wildland fire community is being pushed into using Field maps, and I may eventually go that route, too.
  4. [R9] Avenza Maps 3/5 · US Great app, but…: … no longer supports uploaded maps in the free version; upgraded version is overpriced for occasional users of a single map.
  5. [R10] Avenza Maps 2/5 · US Functional sort of: Terrible user interface. If you’re really patient and don’t mind unnecessarily complicated steps to make field notes and edits you may find this app to be ok. It does the job but does so in a very inefficient manner. This is magnified while in the field and dealing with less than ideal environmental conditions.
  6. [R27] Avenza Maps 3/5 · GB Complicated interface: I honestly could not figure out the interface of this app.
  7. [R16] Avenza Maps 1/5 · US Going to get firefighters/public killed.: Need a better way to enter coordinates that doesn’t autocorrect. Caused massive navigational errors when heading to wildfires. Use any other app for plotting coordinates.
  8. [R37] Avenza Maps 1/5 · US Scam: I paid 170 bucks for pro and it expired a month later asking me to pay again. The 170 was supposed to cover a whole year and yet it barely covered a month.
  9. [R40] Avenza Maps 5/5 · US Misleading: Though the app is free to download it costs a yearly subscription of $165 to import anything and run it. Found this out AFTER I purchased a map that only runs on this platform. Very disappointing and falsely advertised.
  10. [R30] Avenza Maps 3/5 · GB Limited mapping: I have yet to test App in the field. However I am disappointed at the scarcity of high quality maps available for South America. I was hoping for 1:25000 maps of mountains, including Santa Isabél in Colombia, and Salkantay Machu Picchu
  11. [R54] Google Maps 2/5 · US New updates disabled some searches: Some of the common searches like restaurants, attractions, gas etc. are not showing on the maps and redirects you to google search. The only time it works is when you’re on incognito mode.
  12. [R55] Google Maps 5/5 · US The best app for the job: Great app but big space for improvement
  13. [R57] Google Maps 1/5 · US Crazy bug: Shows nothing when I search “restaurants “
  14. [R59] Google Maps 1/5 · US The worst map for Seoul: Tried to find a restaurant indicated on Google Maps. It had us traveling in circles and the blue dot indicating where we were traveled a 1/2 a block after we stopped
  15. [R65] AllTrails 1/5 · US Greedy: Ads every 3 photos. I used to be able to see my time and pace for a trail completed which is now locked behind a pay wall. All it shows now is that I did the trail and no other info.
  16. [R66] AllTrails 5/5 · US Used often: Amazing for trail guidance, looking for new spots, is a great platform for researching and navigating trails
  17. [R67] AllTrails 1/5 · US So buggy: This app has been buggy for all the 6 years that I’ve PAID for it. I wish there was an alternative that I had all my routes saved to so I could get rid of this app
  18. [R68] AllTrails 5/5 · US Great App for all kinds of outdoor activity.: Best investment you can make in outdoor activity planning.
  19. [R79] MAPS.ME 2/5 · US Great interface, but limited: I like the user experience. However, it can only find the businesses I’m looking for about half the time. Even major ones like KFC or Tractor Supply. And you can’t put in addresses, so I can’t get to them that way, either. I end up looking up the street on the web, getting directions to that street, and driving around looking for the business. I love the offline capab
  20. [R82] MAPS.ME 5/5 · US Great travel maps app: I’ve been using maps me for years and it’s never let me down. The maps are up to date and accurate to even small details are included. I’ve used it in several countries and loved using it.
  21. [R83] MAPS.ME 1/5 · US Does not find street in London with a search but street shows on map: Search function not working
  22. [R84] MAPS.ME 5/5 · US A emergency app for all mountaineers: Two years ago while climbing the mountain SABALAN 4845m , summit of Mount SABALAN we were caught in a severe blizzard near the peak. Visibility was almost zero- we could only see about 1-2 meters ahead since Sabalan has many dangerous cliffs and steep drop-offs, we were in a very risky situation. Our only option was to use MAPS.me . I checked the map, found th
  23. [R93] Gaia GPS 1/5 · US Very Inaccurate in My Setup: I used to use this app nearly every day for overlanding etc. just reinstalled it and it can not pass any of five simple tests for accuracy It is sometimes off feet and even wrong bearings are shown Alltrails, Apple stock fitness, and Google Maps are ALL very accurate could it be my setup perhaps But I have no issues with 5 other applications ONLY this one. Seriously i
  24. [R94] Gaia GPS 5/5 · US The Navigation Tool I Trust Outdoors: The one app I consistently rely on for trail navigation whenever I’m out exploring the outdoors.
  25. [R95] Gaia GPS 3/5 · US Great Maps, So-So App: Gaia has some of the best maps for off roading, overlanding and in general enjoying the outdoors. However, the app is only ok. Map downloads are comically slow and difficult to setup. In the era of TB phones, why can’t I just download whole states like in other apps? Why does a download of 100MB take minutes on gigabit connection? Relatedly, sharing of plans and routes is
  26. [R96] Gaia GPS 1/5 · US Always crashes: Every time I use this app it constantly crashes. Even while on the most recent build. I loved Gaia and used it forever, then after it was purchased by Outside magazine it went downhill. I recently returned after using different apps for a couple years and was let down to see that it hasn’t improved.
  27. [R108] GPS Tracks 5/5 · US Excellent GPS App: I use it when biking and walking to track progress. Also used it in the woods behind my house to see where things came out on the other side.
  28. [R109] GPS Tracks 3/5 · US Use it almost every day: Track walks in forest. Never lost. Easy
  29. [R110] GPS Tracks 2/5 · US NOAA charts: They do not work well zooming in and out
  30. [R111] GPS Tracks 5/5 · US Extremely phenomenal: Smooth tracking, refreshing!
  31. [R13] Avenza Maps 1/5 · US Paywall & Data Freeze: Very disappointed with recent changes no longer allowing custom maps without a paid subscription & preventing publishers from updating their maps in the Avenza store. This was my favourite mapping app for the back country & it is now unusable.
  32. [R19] Avenza Maps 1/5 · US No longer free! $$$$: This app started out ok, but kinda clunky for viewing geoPDFs, but pushed by USGS ISFS, BLM, state fish and game depts. and other public sources for geoPDF maps products. Start hitting limits years ago on how many imported pdf maps you could add. More headaches than it was worth to use it much. Now zero map imports allowed without a heavy subscription fee. Moving on to No
  33. [R15] Avenza Maps 3/5 · US Used to be great: The app used to allow 1 map import for free, but no more. So typical of companies these days, get people roped in for free, the old “bait and switch”.
  34. [R22] Avenza Maps 1/5 · US Paid service sucks: Having to pay for this app got to make this the worst app ever now. A lot of people used this for fire fighting and now we have to pay the greedy. Wouldn’t recommend downloading.

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store